J&K Open 2022: Yuvraj Singh Sandhu stamps his authority with resounding seven-shot win

Jammu, Sep 10 (IANS) Yuvraj Singh Sandhu of Chandigarh stamped his authority with a resounding seven-shot win at the Rs. 40 lakh J&K Open 2022 golf tournament played at the Jammu Tawi Golf Course.

Yuvraj (69-70-65-71), the overnight leader by four shots, shot a steady one-under 71 in the last round to take his total for the tournament to 13-under 275 and claim his fourth career win and third title of this season. Sandhu, who bagged the winner's cheque worth Rs. 6 lakh, consolidated himself in the second position on the PGTI Order of Merit.

Bengaluru's Khalin Joshi (70-68-70-74) secured the runner-up spot at six-under 282 after firing a 74 in round four. Gurugram's Manu Gandas (67) took third place at three-under 285.

Chandimandir's Ravi Kumar shot the day's best score of 66 to clinch 11th place at two-over 290.

Among the prominent names, Rashid Khan was tied 21st at six-over 294, the 2021 champion Honey Baisoya was tied 25th at seven-over 295 and Olympian Udayan Mane was tied 28th at eight-over 296.

Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, who had shot the tournament's best score of 65 earlier in round three, continued his domination in round four to ease to a comfortable win at PGTI's first-ever event staged at the Jammu Tawi Golf Course (JTGC).

Sandhu made two birdies and bogeys each on the first nine holes but still managed to stretch his lead to five shots as nearest rival Khalin Joshi was one-over at the turn. Yuvraj birdied both par-5s, first and eighth, on the front nine.

On the back-nine, Sandhu pushed ahead further sinking birdie putts from a range of six to nine feet on the 11th and 13th and saving par with a great shot from 100 yards after incurring a penalty on the 12th. Yuvraj dropped a bogey on the 17th but cruised to the finish line with a mammoth seven-shot margin as the other nearest contender Khalin played one-over on the back-nine.

Yuvraj said, "I was a little nervous coming into this week because I had played well off late but not scored well at the Asian Development Tour (ADT) events in Indonesia. So I felt I just needed a little reassurance."

"My father gave me a surprise this morning by arriving in Jammu. When I saw him at the golf course before my round today that really helped me relax. I then just wanted to follow the yardage book, keep it in play and find fairways and greens. I managed to do that well today," he said.

"The nine-foot birdie conversion on the 13th was the point when I thought I had the match in the bag. The highlight of the week for me was my good course management with my caddie Sonu contributing a lot to it. You have to be 100 percent committed on this course and that's what I did for most part of the week.

"I realised when I went to Indonesia to play on the ADT, that I felt a little void because my regular caddie Sonu wasn't there. He's not just my caddie but like a younger brother to me. He has played a big part in my performance this week," he said.